On rare occasions, I find myself without much to say. After reading what my fellow potatoes have written about how to develop characters, this is one of those times.
What can I add that will not seem redundant? Not much, other than to say that for characters, as in real life, flaws can sometimes be the most interesting aspect of a personality. Flaws not only make a character “round,” they also spur action and influence decision-making, which in turn alters what happens to a character. Emotional needs and wants also do this. Therefore, knowing what a character wants and needs (not always the same thing!) is not only fundamental to “understanding” him/her, but also to developing your plot.
One other tidbit: let your characters make mistakes. Making mistakes makes a character more human, more believable, and more sympathetic to readers.
My other advice? Learn from what my fellow potatoes have written on this blog, and incorporate their advice into your own work. Do this and you will be well on your way to developing more fully-realized characters.
I guess I did have something to say after all!
6 comments:
This is great advice. I can't stand perfect characters. One of my first things is always "ok, what is their quirk? what is the thing they always do wrong..."
You're right, Mark. Characters, who are too perfect, just aren't believable. Readers can always relate to characters who have similar flaws, and then it's fun to see how those characters deal with those flaws.
Mark, you always have something to say and I appreciate reading it. Characters with their faults and difficulties are what readers connect with and what makes writing about them interesting.
You are a lovely potato!
"Perfect" characters are annoying and irritating. Give me flaws anytime!
You're right - you had plenty to say, Mark!
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